So when is Jersey week and should I avoid it?

[jfulcer]

Inspired by myself - I'm trying to plan our next trip and I'm not sure if I want to go the first week in November as I've heard that's Jersey Week.

So when is it and should I avoid it because of crowds?

 

[mitros]

Actually,another question. What the heck is N.J. week? We lived in N.J. all of our lives until we moved here to florida in 1997, and had been traveling to WDW from N.J. from 1988 till coming here to live. {About 20 trips,}and I never heard of anything called Jersey week. When someone answers the above post, could you enlighten me about this? Thanks

 

[awatt]

I posted this samr questiom last fall. Answers were mixed but majority advised to avoid this week because of increased crowds. It typically is the week before Veterans Day in Nov and the end of it coincides with Super Soap weekend at MGM.

 

[frankiemom]

From what I know the reason why they call it Jersey Week is because many families go to Disney this time of year because schools are out due to Teacher Conventions.

 

[mitros]

Thanks. Veterens day and teachers conventions make sense

 

[disneymom1]

I'm from "jersey" so I know a lot about jersey week. I've been to WDW a few times during this week. New Jersey schools are closed for 2 days (a Thursday and Friday) every November for a teachers convention. It is usually the first week in November with a both a Thursday and Friday. This year the convention is November 6 an 7. Jersey week is usually considered the Saturday before the convention thru the Sunday after. The busiest days are Thursday thru Saturday.

The crowds are not bad. Late October, early November is usually very light crowds. The NJ people increase the crowds somewhat but not anywhere near the levels of peak periods. If you went the following week, there would be no lines at all except for the most popular rides. During jersey week, most rides have lines of a few minutes, but not much more. As I mentioned above, the worst days are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and these are really not bad at all. Hope this helps.

 

[susy]

I would avoid it.
After Veteran's day and before Thanksgiving week would be the best time. Unless, you MUST travel at that time, why bother with t? Go another week and enjoy yourselves! November is a great time to go- nice weather, low crowds, value season rates...

 

[carone0318]

Being from NJ and my child not having off at that time, let me just add that it is only the public schools that have off. It is not the entire school system in NJ, parocial schools are still in session. I understand that it is more crowded at that time, but hey if parocial was off it could be even worse....

 

[Susiesnowflake]

We always seem to be at Disney World during "Jersey Week" and the Soap weekend. We have always found things manageable. We've learned the ropes and where to go and what to do first. We always get to the parks early, have minimal waits, take afternoon breaks, and return late afternoon. Last year, we arrived at the end of Jersey Week. We found the parks incredibly crowded that weekend! We could barely move through the MK and WS at Epcot. The crowds lightened up significantly by Mon. What a relief! We were getting a little nervous.

Even though we've been lucky with our experiences, if we had the choice, we would avoid going during this time. We prefer the lighter crowds.

 

[InstImpres]

I'm glad to see that we in New Jersey have such power to have a week in DIS named for us. Maybe I should rethink my travel plans and add a trip to help give us more people there next year

 

[jx3smom]

We go every year for the obvious reasons during "Jersey week".
EPCOT is more crowded on the weekends more because of the food and wine fest. than all of us from NJ. MGM is crowded because of Soaps but if you go there for the rides and not to see the stars there is no line at all. The weather is great in the beginning of November and we really don't think that it is that over crowded.

 

[Bill From PA]

I should save this reply and just paste it here the next time this comes up. Last Nov., we arrived the Fri. before Super Soap weekend, during NJ Week and for the last week of Wine & Food festival. The first park day, Sat., was the beginning of SS weekend. At Rope Drop, the 'crowd' waiting to hit ToT and Rn'R was less that a dozen people deep, the smallest rope drop crowd I've ever seen in any park. We didn't use or need FastPass all that day. The area where the 'stars' were was crowded, but the actual attractions were walk-ons.

Sun. we hit MK and needed FastPass for BTMRR only. SPMTN, SPMTN and all the rest were short to no wait. By 1:30 it got a little crowded, but we had our fill by then and hopped to Epcot.

Epcot was no more busy for the W&F festival than any other time we've been there. We're used to the first week in March. Last Nov. the crowds were lighter than we're used to. I'd go back then in a heartbeat. The weekdays after the first weekend saw dwindling attendance.

Bill From PA

 

[AspiringCindy]

Bill, What do have against New Jersey anyway? HEH, HEH,HEH!
Don't worry, This state is so small it probably wouldn't fill up 1 park!

 

[Bill From PA]

"Bill, What do have against New Jersey anyway?"

AspiringCindy,

Not a thing! In fact, my first teaching job was in NJ. The whole 'NJ Week/SuperSoap Weekend/Food&Wine Fest. needlessly scares people away. The crowds were the lightest of any WDW vacation we ever took.

Bill From PA

 

[pointandshoot]

It seemed a bit more busy to me than other "value season" times I have visited but not crazy. If you change plans and value season is important for resort plans, Jersey week is near the start of that timeframe. If your resort stay starts during a higher priced season, that can change your rate. Something to consider...

 

[dylansdad]

I was wondering why nobody but me was wearing a football jersey that week

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't know why anybody thinks it's the influx of New Jerseyites that causes CROWDS. I've been at WDW for the last three Veterans Day weekends and all I can say is to stay out of the MK on Saturdays, but I'd say that anyway unless it's the week after Labor Day or some other time when everything is totally dead. Other than that I haven't had much of a problem.

Epcot can get crowded in the World Showcase on weekends but that is because of the Food & Wine Festival. On weekdays it's fine. MGM can get crowded on Super Soap Weekend but the soap fans are waiting around for the stars, they aren't riding the rides.

By the way, this year Jersey Week seems to be the week before Veterans Day if anyone else is planning around Veterans Day like I do.

 

[jfulcer]

Thanks for your replies. Having been there when its been super busy, I was just worried that it was going to be busy for Jersey week. I think Bill from PA says it all.

Epcot was no more busy for the W&F festival than any other time we've been there. We're used to the first week in March. Last Nov. the crowds were lighter than we're used to. I'd go back then in a heartbeat. The weekdays after the first weekend saw dwindling attendance.

We're gonna go Oct 27-Nov 5 and just have a good time.

 

[susy]

This past Veteran's day Weekend we were at the Mk on saturday!

I booked a PS at Tony's (pooh at the time) for 8am. We were the first ones seated and the first ones on an empty main street. Kept my promise to my niece and got her on Space Mountain early.

We were the first riders! She even got a certificate! We stayed until around 1 and had a great time. It was crowded,but lines were short. I'm sure the other parks were just fine!

 

[meuseman]

I was in the World from 11/6-11/9 last year...the heart of Jersey week. Apparently, Jersey week was bigger last year because in addition to the thurs/fri teacher conferences, many schools had tues. off for election day. Even so, AK was empty, MK on Thursday had 35-50 min standbys on E-ticket rides, EPCOT had the F&W festival so the World Showcase was a little busier than I had seen it, but really not bad. Also, Super Soaps Weekend was happening but that just meant a lot of soccer moms on Hollywood Boulevard waiting for the show to start. Not to mention all of the funny accents in WWTBAM!! for the dates you are going, i would not worry.